Binding Chain
by Jay Kashiki
Summary: Rukia, after facing a strange hollow, loses her Shinigami power. Now, as a powerless human, she has to go through life under Ichigo's watch, she looks to the only other means of gaining power: Hollowfication.  Joint project with SilveringBlue!


**Hello people, this is Paraiya. I want to thank any and all who take the time to read this new joint project that **_**SilveringBlue**_** and I have created. First, I would like to thank Silver for gracing me with her idea, and I would also like to thank him for being the humble girl she is.**

**This new fic is called: **_**Binding Chain**_**, which features a Hollowfied Rukia. **

**Now, onto the disclaimer: We don't own Bleach, because I'm sure the series would've tanked if **_**I **_**owned it. **

**Alright, now, without further delay, Binding Chain – Chapter One… **

****Rukia raced towards the hollow's signature, using her reiatsu to speed through the air. Glancing at her Hollow Pager, she studied the signature information provided.

_It's not a Menos. Its strength isn't all that as well, roughly the strength of a fifth seat. _Rukia thought, putting the pager away as she hurried to her target. _I can beat it, even without my full power. _She thought confidently, smirking as she neared the clearing where the Hollow had been reported to have appeared.

Rukia shunpo'd into the rest of the way, arriving at the clearing in a fraction of a second. Rukia used the reiatsu to stand on the air as she gazed down at the hollow.

Its mask was oddly reminiscent of a bull, its horns long and prominent. Its body was black, was black and bulky, and it was of a pretty tall height; at least 10 feet. Its reiatsu, however, betrayed its large size. An unseated Shinigami was capable of destroying it with ease.

The hollow looked up to Rukia, its yellow eyes squinting in what she could guess was annoyance. "A Shinigami!" The hollow exclaimed in a booming voice. "And here I was expecting to have a good meal!" The hollow bellowed sadistically. "Oh well, I guess a nice Shinigami appetizer will do just fine!" The hollow bellowed, ascending to meet Rukia in the air.

Rukia narrowed her eyes calmly at the hollow. Despite its small amount of energy, the fact that it was able to float as well somewhat impressed her.

"What's wrong? Is the puny Shinigami afraid?" The hollow taunted in a mocking babyish tone.

Rukia's eye twitched. "Puny?" She asked angrily.

"Yep, you're probably the most pint-sized of the Shinigami," The hollow mocked once again.

Rukia knew better than to let her irritation get the better of her, but this hollow was asking for it.

Rukia held out her arm, showing her palm to the hollow. Her other hand grasped her arm. "Hado #31, Shakkaho!" Rukia yelled, the ball of red energy charging and releasing instantaneously.

The hollow attempted to dodge, only for the right side of its torso to be blown apart. The Hollow howled in pain as it bled profusely. "You bitch!" The hollow yelled, charging at Rukia.

An uncharacteristic feeling of arrogance arose in her as she prepared for the hollow to attack. Rukia jumped onto the Hollow's mask, and in the same moment, flipped to land in the air behind him.

_His movements are slow and predictable. A weakling indeed. _Rukia thought arrogantly, as she smirked at her performance.

"You… You're toying with me…" The hollow growled, turning around. "You'll pay for that, you wretch!" The hollow yelled, its arms suddenly extending to grab a calm Rukia.

_Typical hollow. _Rukia thought, easily disappearing out of the way of the incoming appendages. Rukia reappeared behind the hollow, a confident smirk adorning her features. "A technique like that won't get to me," Rukia stated confidently.

Surprisingly, the hollow began to laugh darkly. Rukia's face contorted into that of confusion.

"Oh, I was well aware that you weren't going to be phased by that weak attack," The hollow stated, turning to charge at her again, prompting Rukia to disappear once again, and reappearing a distance away from the deranged creature.

_Something's not right here. _Rukia thought, the sudden arrogance beginning to fade.

The hollow chuckled once again, lifting its head to look at Rukia. "Your Reiryoku must be very limited at this time…" The hollow stated, causing Rukia's confused face to show signs of shock.

_How does it know? _Rukia asked herself, drawing her Zanpakuto slowly. _I better end this now. I have a bad feeling about this hollow._

The hollow chuckled again. "So… Sode No Shirayuki is the name of your Zanpakuto?" The hollow asked, causing Rukia's eyes to widen considerably in surprise.

"What the… how-" Rukia began to ask, only to be interrupted.

"How did I know?" The hollow asked, asking the question for her. "I am no ordinary Hollow," It stated. "I'm able to read your spiritual signature, and all that come with it: how much Reiatsu and Reiryoku you possess, how powerful you are, and even the name of your Zanpakuto," It explained, making Rukia gasp.

Rukia held her Zanpakuto in a downward motion. She needed to end this fight _now_! "Dance, Sode-!" Rukia began, only to feel her Reiatsu suddenly fade. "W-what?" Rukia gasped, her legs beginning to shake.

The blue sky around her began to turn grey and dark, and sweat began to drip from her face. Her eyes widened as she noticed that she wasn't wearing her Shinigami shihakusho anymore. No, she was wearing a white robe, much like the same one she wore when she was sentenced to execution. However, the most surprising thing to Rukia was the chain that extended from her chest.

Her breathing became heavy as she looked in front of her to see the hollow approaching slowly. "What… have you done?" Rukia said, her words beginning to make her choke.

The hollow bellowed out a sadistic laugh. "I wouldn't talk if I were you. Judging by your response, you haven't been a mere Plus for very long, have you?" The hollow asked, its voice lined with amusement. "Pluses aren't able to breathe well if they have had a Human or Shinigami body for a long period of time," The hollow explained. The hollow reached his destination, arriving in front of the, now powerless, Rukia. "But, of course you must know this."

Rukia stared up in surprise and fear of the hollow. _An illusion… this has to be an illusion,_ Rukia thought, trying to justify the happenings in her mind. That's when it hit her. The hollow's strength had dramatically increased. She gazed up at it, watching a red aura surround it.

"Well, I guess this little game is over," The hollow stated. "Now, how shall I kill you?" The hollow asked, looking into the gray "Ah…" The hollow gasped, looking back down at Rukia. "I know…" The hollow stated, the red aura growing larger.

Its form began to shrink, and it began to glow white. The hollow began to decrease in size, and its body became much shorter and much less bulky. The white light cleared, and its transformation was complete. Rukia's eyes widened considerably in shock and horror as she saw the form.

In front of her was… herself. The exact same image of herself donned in her shihakusho. The only difference was the look on her face, which held a sadistic grin and piercing eyes.

"Now, I can kill you…" The Rukia-clone started, its voice the same as Rukia's as well. The clone drew its sword, which mirrored the look of Rukia's Zanpakuto. "-with your own Zanpakuto!" The clone yelled, swinging the sword down on the center of Rukia's chain.

However, the sword stopped, instead, cutting part of the long chain off, leaving only a few dozen segments of the chain left.

The clone scoffed. "Looks like the damn Zanpakuto still had some feelings for you," It stated. "Heh, no matter. In a matter of hours, you'll be gone anyways…" The clone proclaimed; the Zanpakuto fading along with the shihakusho.

The sky began to turn back into its normal, blue appearance again. The grayness that flooded the land disappeared, leaving a shell-shocked Rukia and a triumphant hollow.

"It looks like I used too much energy on that…" The hollow said; a dark portal opening behind it. "Goodbye… ex-Shinigami…" The hollow chuckled, retreating into the portal.

Left behind was a white-robed Rukia, passed out from the ordeal she had to endure. However, that wasn't the worst of it. She no longer bore the black outfit or the Zanpakuto she has worn for many decades. Her power had been robbed of her, yet again.

A figure walked into the field, gazing down at the powerless Rukia. "How unfortunate…" The man said, tipping his bucket hat and picking up the unconscious ex-warrior.

…

Ichigo Kurosaki had to come back early from the Kurosaki family trip to Okinawa, receiving a call from his "sensei", Kisuke Urahara.

"_Come quickly Ichigo, it's an emergency," Urahara had said over the phone. _His voice was grave and serious. It made Ichigo shiver in nervousness. Whenever _he _became serious, you knew there was definitely something wrong.

Ichigo raced to the Urahara Shoten, breathing heavily from running the entire way. Ichigo knocked on the door, alerting the shop that he had arrived.

Tessai Tsukabishi opened the door for Ichigo, gesturing for Ichigo to enter the shop in silence.

"So what's going on?" Ichigo asked calmly, turning to Tessai for answers.

Tessai turned his head to the back room of the shop, prompting Ichigo to walk in.

Ichigo walked through the open door, only for his eyes to widen in surprise. "R-Rukia…" He gasped, running towards her sleeping form. Ichigo could tell something was amiss; her reiryoku was almost completely drained. "What the hell happened?" He asked himself.

"I see you noticed…" A voice came from behind him. Ichigo turned to see the bucket-hat Kisuke Urahara gazing seriously at Rukia's body.

"What happened to her?" Ichigo asked again.

"Her powers have vanished…" Urahara announced.

Ichigo's eyes widened considerably. "What do you mean… vanished?" Ichigo asked.

"I said what I meant… her powers have vanished… they're gone," Urahara stated, walking towards Ichigo.

"Her powers are gone… again?" Ichigo asked, turning back to Rukia. "What happened to them?"

"She lost them… in a fight with a hollow," Urahara said, staring down at Rukia.

"A fight with a hollow? How…?" Ichigo asked, extremely taken-aback by the news. "How can a hollow take away her power?" Ichigo asked angrily.

"It appears that, _that _particular hollow possessed an unknown ability," Urahara stated. "And an effective one at that; if it does _this _to someone…"

Ichigo turned back to the sleeping Rukia, looking at her face which seemed to show fear.

"Ichigo… follow me…" Urahara ordered, walking out of the room.

Ichigo reluctantly stood, and followed Urahara into the front of the shop.

_Rukia… what the hell happened…? _Ichigo asked himself, closing the door of the back room.

**Wow, that's done… **

**Man, I hope that didn't suck to anyone. Tell me what you all thought of it ^_^ R&R is basically what I'm telling you all to do. **

**Also, this idea is: again, not mine; it is SilveringBlue's. 99.99% goes to her, while .01% goes to me.**

**She is also the beta of this… which means that I am even less important, haha. But I hope you all like her idea, as much as I do ^_^**

**We both love you all… um, platonically. ^^;**

**Stay tuned for the next chapter of **_**Binding Chain**_**!**


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